Thursday, March 3, 2011

It is snowing at the moment here, on top of many feet of snow and a big snowstorm predicted for next week. Therefore, some gardening duties have been amended, specifically pruning. Walking through the deep snow is difficult enough, and with the snow covering a good portion of the shrubs and trees, I will hold off pruning until we have a significant melt. It is best to prune while plants are dormant, but practicality trumps in this case....whaddygunnado?

BUT don't think you can just continue to lay around watching Dr. Phil, it's time to expand the mind instead of the waistband! Here are some garden-related duties for you to wrap your head around...

Pruning tool maintenance. You many not be able to get out there yet, but you should make sure your pruners, loppers, shears, and saws, are all in tip top cutting shape. Clean off resin and other gunk, disinfect and sharpen or replace blades, tighten screws, and lubricate springs. It's important to make one clean cut for the plant, and oh so much easier on the tendons.

Vegetable Garden Planning. Plan your veg and herb gardens, planting veggies near their favorite companions. Here is a table that may help with that.

Vegetable

Plant near

Avoid planting near

Asparagus

Basil, Tomato, Nasturtium, Parsley

Onion, garlic, potato

Beans

Carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, marigold

Chives, leek garlic

Broad Beans

Brassicas, carrot, celery, corn, lettuce potato

Fennel

Beets

Brassicas, lettuce, onion, sage

Bean (pole)

Broccoli

Celery, chamomile, dill

Oregano, strawberry

Brussel Sprouts

Potato, thyme

Strawberry

Cabbage

Beetroot, potato, oregano, sage

Strawberry, tomato

Carrot

Bush beans, pole beans, lettuce, onion, pea, radish tomato

Chives, dill, parsnip

Cauliflower

Beans, celery, oregano

Nasturtiom, peas, potato, strawberry, tomato

Celery

Cabbage, leek. Onion, spinace, tomato

Parsnip, potato

Corn

Bean, cucumber, melon, pea, ,pumpkin potato radish

Tomato

Cucumber

Bean celery, lettuce, pea, radish

Cauliflower, potato, basil

Eggplant

Bean, capsicum potato spinach

Leek

Carrot, celery, strawberry

Lettuce

Carrots radishes strawberry

Beans, beetroot, parsley

Melon

Corn, radish

Potato

Onion

Bean sprout, broccoli, ,cabbage, lettuce, strawberry, tomato

Bean, pea

Pea

Beans, carrot, corn, cucumber, radish

Onion family

Potato

Bean, corn, cabbage, pea, eggplant

Cucmber, pumpkin, squash, sunflower

Pumpkin

Corn

Potato

Spinach

Celery cauliflower, eggplant

Tomato

Asparagus, celery, carrot, parsley, marigold

Corn, fennel, potato

Zucchini

nasturtium

Collect newspaper for garden mulching. I have been hoarding paper all winter, and will lay it down over weedy areas and top with compost and other mulch material.

Get your plant orders put together and submitted! This probably should have already been done, if you have not, you may have reduced availability.

Freshen up those outdoor containers. Get the tired old holiday stuff out, (I certainly hope you did not use spruce tops...see previous blog on how collection of spruce tops ruins peat bogs in Minnesota and elsewhere) and replace with some spring-like twigs of pussy willow.